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Yogi Impressions, Mumbai, India, 1-57731-175-2 / 9781577311751, First Edition, Hard Cover, New, New, 10.5 x 10.5 Inches His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has captured the world’s heart and imagination with his extraordinary wisdom and humility in the face of China’s brutal, decades-long occupation of Tibet. This stunning new visual biography marries provocative writings on His Holiness by some of today’s most intriguing authors with vibrant full-color images by photojournalist Alison Wright, author of The Spirit of Tibet. Published with the cooperation of New York’s Tibet House, which will receive a portion of the book’s proceeds, A Simple Monk features impressionistic essays about Tibet’s leader by such writers as Diki Tsering, Orville Schell and Pico Iyer, as well as an interview with His Holiness conducted by famed monologuist Spalding Gray and an introduction and essay by Professor Robert A. F. Thurman. Interspersed throughout the main text and Wright’s colorful photographs are quotations from leading journalists, celebrities, and teachers close to the Tibetan cause. This dynamic volume is certain to appeal to the increasing number of readers eager to learn more about this great spiritual leader and his Buddhist teachings, as well as to aid the plight of the Tibetan people. By special arrangement with New World Library. Printed Pages: 144. 003050

Roli Books, New Delhi, India, 2005, 81-7436-427-7 / 9788174364272, First Edition, Hard Cover, New, New, 8.5 x 5.5 Inches It began with a photograph in a magazine of an odd little aircraft that looked as though it had an upside-down tail. When Vijaypat Singhania, chairman of Raymond, leading industrialist and a respected pillar of society, saw the picture, it inspired him to take off on an adventure that could only end in disaster, if it didn’t end in glory. For, like his hero, JRD Tata, Singhania had a passion for flying, and the aircraft he saw was a Shadow microlight ?a twin-seater aircraft with a two-stroke engine akin to a motobike’s. An aircraft so small that, in his own words, sitting in it ‘felt less like being in an aircraft than wearing one? In this tiny vehicle, Singhania flew 5000 miles from England to India, in 22 days ?from 18 August to 8 September, 1988. In doing so, he broke the existing record of 34 days over the same distance, set the previous year by a British pilot, Brian Milton, and earned himself a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. As he prepares to set yet another record ?by flying to over 70,000 feet in a hot-air balloon in November 2005 ?Vijaypat Singhania recounts his adventures both hair-raising and hilarious, as he fights his fear of sharks, finds himself on a nudist beach in Iraklion, encounters Greek beauties in Milos and tough-talking Pathans in Gwadar ?with only an angel and three gods for company. Printed Pages: 288 with 16 coloured plates. 013209

Wisdom Publications, Boston, USA, 2004, 0-86171-180-7 / 9780861711802, First Edition, Paperback, New, New, 15.5 Cms x 23 Cms While only a young man, Orgyen Trinley Dorje''s life has been marked indelibly by devotion, intrigue, and transformation. Karmapa: The Politics of Reincarnation is his amazing story. For Westerners, Tibet is a land of powerful spiritual teachings, staggering mountain vistas, and geopolitical intrigue. The country''s resistance to Chinese occupation, and also the growing presence of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, are not just part of our daily news but of the Western consciousness as well. In January 2000, interest hit a peak as fourteen-year-old Orgyen Trinley Dorje was thrust upon the world stage. Recognized as the Seventeenth Karmapa-arguably the second most powerful figure in the Tibetan Buddhist religious hierarchy-he made a dramatic escape from his Chinese Communist overseers to the land of the Buddha''s birth, India, so that he could study with the masters of his religious lineage, follow his conscience, and be a leader to his people. Through wide-ranging research and interviews with key figures, including the Karmapa himself, award-winning journalist Lea Terhune unlocks the riveting tale of the Karmapa''s disputed incarnation, and traces the roots of the Kagyu tradition and the history of the previous Karmapas in order to illuminate the tale of the young man born to play a key role in the future of Tibet. Printed Pages: 318. 002086

Shambhala, Boston, USA, 2004, 0-87773-947-1 / 9780877739470, First Edition, Paperback, New, New, 15.5 Cms x 23 Cms This classic first-person account of spiritual awakening was first published under the title Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man —here expanded with two-thirds new material drawn from the author's writing to make a complete autobiography. Printed Pages: 424. 002097

Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India, 2003, 0-19-566794-8 / 9780195667943, First Edition, Paperback, New, If I had a hundred women like Mridula, said Gandhiji, I could launch a revolution in India. Born in 1911 in the illustrious Sarabhai family of Ahmedabad, she came under the spell of Gandhi and left her palatial home to join the Salt Satyagraha. She was arrested and imprisoned several times between 1930 and 1944. Deeply influenced by Jawaharlal Nehru s ideas on socialism and secularism, and a close associate of his, Mridula Sarabhai was involved not only in the freedom struggle but also in the fight for women s right to equality, in civil liberty, and in the individual s right to dissent. She worked fearlessly during communal riots to protect the rights of minorities and restore communal peace and harmony. Her work for the recovery of abducted women in Punjab in the aftermath of the Partition of India is well known. The last twenty years of her life were devoted to Kashmir and championing the cause of Sheikh Abdullah. This is the story of Mridula Sarabhai s public l if e, her work for women, for the freedom of the country, and for Hindu-Muslim unit. She was a non-conformist who did not fit into the stereotype image of the Indian woman. A rebel swimming against the tide, championing unpopular causes, she spurned offers of high office in the political arena of national government. This biography, the first account of her life, is also a page from the social and political history of modern India, over half a century seen through the life of one person. Based on Mridula Sarabhai s private papers and numerous primary and secondary sources, the book should be of interest not only to students and scholars of contemporary Indian history and politics, but to the wider public as well. Printed Pages: 200 with 16 halftones. 013880

Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India, 2005, 0-19-564756-4 / 9780195647563, First Edition, Paperback, New, 14 x 22 Cm This outstanding biography traces Nehru s political and psychological development, exploring the complexities of his character. It is perceptive and revealing about Nehru s relationship with Gandhi, the influences on him of his father and his education at Harrow and Cambridge, and of Western and Indian culture. First published in 1959, this well-researched book draws from Nehru s own writings and speeches and much material not readily available to assess Nehru as a leader and his place in history. Applying the technique of biography to shed light on political events, ideas and movements, this book uses at the same time the Indian struggle for independence as the background for a study of Nehru the man and the statesman. It will appeal to all interested in biographies and in the Indian freedom movement. Printed Pages: 698 with 32 halftones and 3 maps. 013549

Roli Books, New Delhi, India, 2005, 81-7436-292-4 / 9788174362926, First Edition, Hard Cover, New, New, 8.5 x 5.5 Inches The only eyewitness account of the US-led war to topple the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein. A day-by-day retelling from the battlefield by Satish Jacob, the only Indian correspondent in Baghdad. From Baghdad’s Hotel Palestine, Satish’s spirited reports were the only eyewitness accounts of the drama of those days on Indian television. They were also special in that his perception of the events differed significantly from that of the Western media more prone to accept uncritically the invading armies?version of events. From Hotel Palestine, Satish Jacob writes of a nation devastated on a whim, and explains Iraq’s role in the Arab world, the complex relationships that divide the region’s Muslims, Christians and Jews. Above all, he applauds the courage of the Iraqis in this war of unequals, and shows us that while Saddam may be a loathsome monster for some, he is a nation-builder like Turkey’s Ataturk to others. Printed Pages: 240. 011504

Penguin, New Delhi, India, 2003, 0670-049557 / 9780670049554, First Edition, Hardbound, New, New, The rise of Sonia Gandhi to leader of the venerable Congress party is one of the most remarkable stories of recent times, even in the unpredictable world of Indian politics. The story of how an apolitical housewife—who was dead set against the entrance of her husband, Rajiv Gandhi, into the political arena—emerged as an astute player of the game herself is one that has never been told. Adding to the enigma is her reserve—she has given very few interviews and remains a very private person. In Sonia: A Biography, journalist Rasheed Kidwai offers the first close look at the person and the transformation that circumstance and tragedy brought about in her. He recounts the period of shock that followed Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, her ascent to leadership in 1998, the revolt by party stalwarts Sharad Pawar and P.A. Sangma, the controversies she has had to face, and he unravels the true story of her dealings with leaders such as Sitaram Kesri, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Arjun Singh and others. Sonia also gives a fascinating insight into the inner world of Congress politics and the frustrations and jealousies that ensue as various leaders, powerful in their own right, vie for the honour of being part of the inner circle. Extensively researched and crisply written, this is a compelling portrayal of a leader who is seen by many as a future Prime Minister. Printed Pages: 256. 003085

E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands, 1996, 90-04-10471-2 / 9789004104716, First Edition, Hard Cover, Brand New, New, 16.5 Cms x 25 Cms The first full-length study in English on T'an Ssu-t'ung, a well-known scholar-reformer in late-Ch'ing China. Based on a rich variety of primary sources, it traces T'an's progress from his early years to his summary execution during the palace coup in 1898. The Introduction explains the premises and sources pertinent to this study, while the Epilogue provides an overall interpretation of T'an's life. The remaining eight chapters are organized in such a way as to allow a chronological and thematic appreciation of the book's subject matter. This is more than a biography of a remarkable individual. By placing T'an's personal experience in the larger social and political contexts, it also sheds light on an emergent intellectual community in modern China. Printed Pages: 272 with 1 illustration. 005073

Oxford University Press, New Delhi, India, 2001, 0-19-565650-4 / 9780195656503, Paperback, New, 14 Cms x 22 Cms Claude Levenson's search for Tenzin Gyatso, the present Dalai Lama, took her across the Himalayas, from Lhasa to his headquarters-in-exile in Dharamsala. At Dharamsala, hours of personal interviews revealed the story of his prodigious life-of how a lively child from a modest peasant family came to be recognized as the fourteenth reincarnation of the Buddha of Infinite Compassion. The book offers a vivid portrayal of an important civilization based on a sophisticated Buddhist tradition which faces extinction in Tibet. It covers the Dalai Lama's political programme of the Middle Ways which allows for a limited autonomy for Tibet. The preface brings the story up to the present day, focusing on the increase in human rights abuses in Tibet. Printed Pages: 320. 012299

Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York, USA, 1-55939-194-4 / 9781559391948, First Edition, Paperback, New, New, 6 x 9 Inches "An amazing and precious gift...a masterpiece on the Dzogchen teachings."-- Tulku Thubten Rinpoche "A wonderful job....A true gem of a book."-- Prof. Steven Goodman, Asian Studies, CIIS These fascinating discussions between 11th century court ladies and the great master Padmasambhava, available for the first time in English, weave intriguing issues of gender into Buddhist teachings. The women's doubts and hesitations are masterfully resolved in these impassioned exchanges. The wonderful material in this book is part of a terma (treasure) revealed by Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), the greatest terton (treasure-revealer) of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. This pithy collection is rounded out by Pema Lingpa's astonishing life story. All in all a beautifully realized book, translated and compiled by the author of Machik's Complete Explanation "...with clarity and fascinating insight, Sarah Harding illuminates the profound teachings of the great mystical treasure-revealer Pema Lingpa."-- Tulku Thondup Rinpoche Printed Pages: 200. 004144

Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York, USA, 1-55939-204-5 / 9781559392044, First Edition, Hard Cover, New, New, 6 x 9 Inches Throughout history awakened ones have celebrated the rapture of mystical states with inspired verse, sung extemporaneously. This book offers a rare glimpse into the mysticism of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, a tradition based mainly on the profound teaching of 2 women. This compendium of spontaneous verse sung by tantric Buddhist masters from the 10th century to the present includes translations as well as short descriptions of each poet's life and a historical overview of the lineage. "Our lineage's past spiritual masters used songs to express their manifest experience and realization of the spiritual path's vital subjects, such as the trio of basis, path, and result; or view, meditation, and conduct; as well as dispelling hindrances and enriching meditative experience. The blessings of the lineage enter our heart, the very best technique to realize our mind's abiding nature, Great Seal. I pray that all who see, hear, or read this book be blessed."-- Bokar Rinpoche "Only a fraction of Tibet's vast literature of mystical poetry has yet been translated into other languages. Now, with the gift of Ngawang Zangpo's inspired English translations, the exquisite expressions of inner experience sung by the greatest men and women of the Shangpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism are available to the world."-- Cyrus Stearns, author of The Buddha from Dolpo, Hermit of Go Gliffs, and Luminous Lives "Ngawang Zangpo's fluid translation and rich commentary truly brings us into the presence of the extra-ordinary masters of the Shangpa Kagyu tradition. As we listen to their verse, we are transported by their devotion, awakened wisdom, and blessing to the Vajra world that has become their home."-- Lama Drupgyu Tenzin "Ngawang Zangpo has given us, for the first time in English, the complete translation of the Songs of Realization of the Shangpa masters. This is a living, unbroken lineage, of fully realized mahasiddhas, both female and male, whose teachings burst forth in spontaneous song. Through the centuries these pith instructions have inspired and brought to full realization generations of yogis and yoginis. I highly recommend Timeless Rapture for its illuminating and joyful transmission."-- Lama Palden Drolma, Sukhasiddhi Foundation Printed Pages: 416. 001689